Improving situational awareness through the design of offshore installations

How to recognise a kick: A cognitive task analysis of drillers’ situation awareness during well operations

“…There is a minimal body of research examining SA in drilling, identifying problems such as failures to monitor or observe data (Sneddon, Mearns & Flin, 2006), drillers' poor concentration, and difficulties with interpretation of information (Stanton & Wilson, 2001), as well as with poorly designed aspects of the work environment (Sawaryn, Pickering & Whitely, 2008;Woodcock & Toy, 2011). The self-report Work Situation Awareness rating tool was employed to examine the impact on stress, sleep disruption and fatigue on SA, as well as the relationship between SA and unsafe behaviour and incident involvement in drilling (Sneddon, Mearns & Flin, 2013).…”

“…Previous research aiming to support drillers' SA through work design (e.g. Woodcock & Toy, 2011;Sawaryn et al, 2008) can be reinforced using the ACTA findings by identifying specific areas that can support drillers' SA (e.g. assisting cue recognition and supporting interpretation of cues; see below recommendations).…”

“…Woodcock & Toy, 2011). With the increase in automation in drilling systems, there is the opportunity to design software systems that support SA, rather than resulting in the performance problem of operators being out of the loop (Endsley & Kiris, 1995).…”

Staying in the Zone

“…In 2001, the largest semisubmersible rig at the time, the Petrobras P-36, sank, killing 11 men as a result of a series of explosions in the rig's columns (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2001). One factor that links these incidents is that inaccurate situation awareness (SA) was cited as contributing to the events and resulting outcomes (Reader & O'Connor, 2014;Woodcock & Toy, 2011). In essence, SA is the cognitive skill of knowing what is going on around oneself and using that understanding to predict how the situation may develop in the future (Endsley, 1995).…”

Staying in the Zone

“…In 2001, the largest semi-submersible rig at the time, the Petrobras P-36 sank, killing 11 men as a result of a series of explosions in the rig's columns (USEPA, 2001). What links these incidents is that inaccurate situation awareness (SA) was cited as contributing to the events and resulting outcomes (Report to the President, 2011; Reader & O'Connor, 2014;Montara Report, 2010;Woodcock & Toy, 2011).…”